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{
    "id": 728893,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/728893/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 151,
    "type": "other",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Kenya together with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The total funding was Kshs174.27 million. Phase Two of that project is still going on. It will not only cover Kirinyaga but it will also be extended to Kisumu County. (5) There is another project called Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development Systems, (SATREPS). This project is for tailor made breeding and cultivation technology to be developed in Kenya sponsored jointly by the Government of Kenya and the Government of Japan. It is being implemented by Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO). The project period is five years from 22nd May, 2013 to 22nd May, 2018. The project is for undertaking research on low fertility adaptability, drought tolerance, rice blast tolerance, cold tolerance, soil and water management and salinity tolerance. The project site is the KALRO Mwea and the National Irrigation Board MIAD centre. The field sites are National Irrigation Board Ahero and the KALRO Agricultural Research Institute at Kibos. The following are the achievements of this project since its implementation in May 2013:- (i) We have three modern experimental greenhouses which have been built. (ii) The research fields have been rehabilitated and modernized for quality research data collection and improved technology development. (iii) A bore hole has been sunk and electricity installed to support this research project. (iv) Experimental soils have been collected from rice growing areas of Kenya, including the Coast and Eastern Province. They have been analysed and put in greenhouses for varietal development. (v) A total of 33 experimental activities are currently being undertaken. (vi) There are 14 Kenyan and 17 Japanese scientists working on different aspects of these research areas. (vii) The project has supported a total of 28 Masters of Science degree and PhD students both from Kenya and Japan. (iii) The long term measures that the Government will take to make sure that production of rice in Mwea Irrigation Scheme continues to be high are as follows:- The Government of Kenya and JICA are constructing a Kshs20 billion dam across River Thiba to solve the water problem in the MIS. By May 2017, the contractor should have started the civil works for this dam. This will be a major transformation. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the Government is also creating more overnight storing facilities in some sections of the scheme and stakeholder coordination on the use of water resource is being done because of the 33 uncontrolled upstream obstructions that have been identified which cause serious danger to the scheme. The Government is also undertaking stakeholder engagement with the Water Resource Management Authority (WRMA) with a view to establishing a user support programme. Lastly, improvements of the outgrower area both on irrigation infrastructure and roads adding up to 4,500 acres for irrigation are being opened up in the area. So, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this is what the Government is doing to support rice production in Mwea Irrigation Scheme. The Senator for that area should be very happy because of the massive investment. Thank you. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate"
}